Fox Kids has announced two new anime series that will be a part of their fall lineup along with new cartoon series based on Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Evolution (see 'Fox Stakes Out Buffy Toon').  The new Japanese cartoons on Fox Kids include Transformers: Robots in Disguise and Shinzo.  Right now it appears that Fox will not order any new episodes of Spider-Man Unlimited or Big Guy and Rusty the Robot, though these series will continue through the summer. The popular anime series, Slayers, which many thought would be included on the Fox list for 2001, was not among the new shows on this schedule, but it is still likely to appear on Fox sometime in the next year, though probably not under the same name. Let's take a quick look at the two new anime series that are definitely on the schedule.

Transformers: Robots in Disguise

A fine example of traditional cel animation, Transformers: Car Robots was the most recent incarnation of the Transformer series to appear on Japanese television. The thirty-nine episodes of this series were produced by Asatsu, and feature the good car robots helping the human scientist Dr. Onishi fight off the evil Destolonga robots who are out to take over the Earth.  Hasbro will be providing the ultra cool transforming toys that morph between mecha and car modes.  DVDs of previous series are available and selling well (see 'There's Gold in Old Cartoons').

Shinzo